2015 Team Preview – Old Forge (2) – Small School Team # 9
Written by: David Mika on Tuesday, August 18th, 2015. Follow David Mika on Twitter.
Head Coach: Mike Schuback
Assistant Coaches: Dan Holland, Frank Berardelli, Rod Fisher, Bobby Rinaldi Jr, Mark Uhrin, Mark Zambetti, Kevin Shotwell, Joe Gutowski
Team Name: Old Forge Blue Devils
2014 Record: 12-1
Key loses: South Williamsport
Offensive Starters Returning: (8) #21 RB SR Cooper Califano 6’1 190; #23 WR SR. Jaret Horn 6 180; # 71 C SR. Christian Mitchell 5’11 250; # 53 OG SR. Mike Cantarella 6’1 255; # 34 TE SR. Mando Sallavanti 5’11 200; # 3 QB/Ath SR. Joey Gutowski 6’1 170; #74 OT JR Dylan Wilcox 6’3 300; #63 OT JR Trevor Brown 6’3 290
Defensive Starters Returning: (7) #4 ILB SOPH Brendan Mozeleski 5′ 10 195; #34 ILB SR Mando Sallavanti 5′ 11 200; #21 OLB SR Cooper Califano 6’1 190; # 53 DT SR Mike Cantarella 6’1 255; # 74 DT JR Dylan Wilcox 6’3 300; # 3 DB SR Joe Gutowski 6’1 170; # 23 DB SR Jaret Horn 6 180
Key Newcomers: # 1 WR/DB SR Philip Palmiter 5′ 11 155; # 54 OL/DL SR Andrew Belles 5’9 235; # 88 ATH SOPH Nasir Harris 5′ 10 145
Key Stats: Cooper went over 1,000 yards rushing in only 6 starts at TB.
2015 Outlook:
Offense: Well the positive’s, Unlike last year, we will have a handful of players that can handle the ball. Horn can play both TB and WR, plus he is a 2 year returner in the punt game and kick returns. Sallavanti can play TE/H-back / WR. Brendan Mozeleski only a Soph will give us a lift at FB/TB as well. Brendan is a Strong/physical player on both sides of the ball. Gutowski returns at Qb along with 2nd yr Qb Paul Cariati who will be a JR. WE are Big and strong up front with all but one player returning. So we have a few players working for that spot, including SR Jonathan Herrera 5’9 265 & Soph Levi Kania 6’1 220.
BUT we are Young and inexperienced at the WR spots. Horn leads all kids coming back but he will be all over the field. So the only true WR’s we have is Sr Jerry Hobbs 5’10 170 , SOPH Nasir Harris 5’10 145 , Sr Philip Palmiter 5’11 155, Soph Joe Verespey 5′ 10 140. When Gutowski goes to Wr and Cariati goes to QB that will give us a lift with experience.
Defense: Again we return A lot. So as long as we can sure up the DE spots we should be good. For the one remaining LB spot we are have good work between, JR Troy Harris 6 205 & JR Dean Nalaschi 5’10 200.
In the back end we have a few kids trying to fill the one DB spot. Philip Palmiter, Nasir Harris, Paul Cariati, Joe Verespey & Jerry Hobbs
Special Team: We have some work to do here!! Losing everyone in the kicking game will be a area we put time In to this yr during 2-a-days!
Jaret Horn will try to take on the Punting duties along with his return skills.
Brendan Mozeleski will attempt to take the Kicking duties.
Punt returners: Horn, Gutowski, Nasir Harris, Hobbs
Kick returners: Horn, Nasir Harris, Philip Palmiter,
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September 11th, 2015 at 10:16 pm
@DougD
Boy did you call that one. Might have been game of the year in district 2.
August 22nd, 2015 at 3:38 pm
Week 2 should prove to be an Ole fashion smash mouth game between two respected championship storied well coached programs with the Lakeland Chiefs. With last year’s game between Old Forge and Lakeland ending with Old Forge nipping us 7-0 with only a minute something left in the 4th should be interesting.
August 20th, 2015 at 1:39 pm
LOL…:)
August 20th, 2015 at 1:38 pm
Hey Dave,
No offense, but if the rankings only matter in Week 16, then why the preseason rankings? LOL
I realize its A and AA, and yes the schedule isn’t as strong in the past. All I observed is that the teams ahead of Old Forge must be awfully good because as I said, soft schedule or not, the Blue Devils are loaded.
Enjoy the season boys! Love reading EasternPAFootball.com!!!
August 19th, 2015 at 7:41 am
I agree D2follower. District 2 small schools have made some nice runs in the playoffs lately and like I said it does’t matter where you’re ranked now, it matters week 16.
August 19th, 2015 at 7:30 am
@Gridman…Don’t forget…the Small School ranking here includes both A and AA schools…so any A making the top 10 is impressive. I think a lot of people are holding back judgement after the pasting that OF got from South Williamsport to end the year. Everyone can agree that the regular season schedule was soft last year as compared to 2013. The same can be said for this season. Not having Dunmore on the schedule takes away that regular season measuring stick…and the reclassification of Dunmore, Riverside ect…does the same when to comes to the district tournnament.
August 18th, 2015 at 4:58 pm
@Gridman…It doesn’t matter were they are ranked preseason. It matters week 16…Right?
August 18th, 2015 at 2:08 pm
The Small School Top 10 must be stacked if Old Forge is only #9 because the Blue Devils are LOADED!